“I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love.”
- June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962
- American
- Actress, Singer, Model, Pop Culture Icon
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Quote
“I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love.”
Explanation
This quote reveals Marilyn Monroe’s deep self-awareness and emotional honesty, presenting a picture of someone who embraces her imperfections without shame. By declaring that she is “good, but not an angel” and that she “sins, but is not the devil,” Monroe rejects unrealistic moral extremes. Instead, she asserts a more nuanced, human identity, grounded in vulnerability and the universal desire for love and connection.
Monroe’s life was often scrutinized through a lens of extremes: she was idolized as a goddess and criticized as a scandal. But here, she offers a balanced and tender self-portrait—a person who isn’t seeking to be flawless, but who simply wants to be understood. Her statement that she is “just a small girl in a big world” underscores the emotional disorientation and loneliness she often felt amid fame, reinforcing the theme that behind the celebrity was someone searching for something deeply human: love.
In modern times, this quote continues to resonate as a declaration of self-acceptance and emotional authenticity. It speaks to anyone who feels caught between public expectations and private struggles. Monroe’s words remind us that it’s okay to be imperfect, to seek love, and to live with complexity, and that we are most human when we allow ourselves to be seen as we truly are.
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